Longtime readers of In Custodia Legis know that the topic of witchcraft and the law is a favorite among our authors. Those new to this blog may wish to review the extensive catalog of posts we have written on the subject. For
In Custodia Legis
In Custodia Legis is a blog published by the Library of Congress that focuses on legal research and developments across multiple jurisdictions, including U.S., foreign, and international law. It features interviews with foreign law interns and specialists who provide insights into comparative law, legislative updates, and legal frameworks from various countries, especially German-speaking nations, the European Union, and Asian jurisdictions. The blog also covers historical and contemporary legal topics such as water rights, environmental law, and regulatory measures like bird-friendly building laws. It draws on the extensive collections and expertise of the Law Library of Congress to inform Congress, legal professionals, and the public about global legal issues and research.
Latest from In Custodia Legis - Page 10
Goodbye, Checks? A Comparative Look at a Declining Payment Method in Germany and the United States
The following is a guest post by Esra Eroğlu, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley at the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.
For centuries, the paper bank…
Join Us on 2/26 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: The European Convention on Human Rights at 75+ – Toothless Tiger or Effective Enforcer?
November 4, 2025, marked 75 years since the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) opened for signature. Since then, all 46 member states of the Council of Europe have signed and ratified the convention, and a European Court of…
An Interview with Sara Tolić, Foreign Law Intern
Today’s interview is with Sara Tolić, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.
I was born in the beautiful city of Zagreb…
Congress.gov New, Tip, and Top – February 2026
In the previous release, we migrated the Register of Debates, a predecessor to the Congressional Record, to Congress.gov. With this release, we are enhancing access to the Senate legislation actions overview display and adding the ability to…
Hippolytus de Marsiliis: The First Criminal Law Professor and His Books
In a post last year on the subject of the procedure used in 16th century witch trials, I wrote about Flemish lawyer Joost de Damhouder (1507-1581) and his remarkable 1554 treatise Praxis rerum criminalium (Criminal Matters Practice), which was one…
An Interview with Robin Zamora, Foreign Law Intern
Today’s interview is with Robin Zamora, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.
Watch a Recording of the 2025 Congress.gov Public Forum
On September 30, 2025, the Library of Congress held a Congress.gov Public Forum that was available in-person and online via Zoom. This forum provided attendees with an update on the enhancements that have been made to the site over the…
Upcoming US Law Webinars – February 2026
We are excited to announce our upcoming U.S. law webinars for February, and we hope you can join us! Next month, we will be offering an Orientation to Legal Research Webinar, focusing on federal legislative history. In addition, we will…
A Tour of the National Library of Naples – Picture of the Week
Today’s blog post is a guest post by Assistant Librarian for Legal Research at the Law Library of Congress, Peter Roudik. Peter has previously authored the following posts for In Custodia Legis: Murder as Statecraft, Legal…